Block action for sporting guns dropping breech

ABSTRACT

The dropping breech block action has a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block. A firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger are mounted in the breech block. An actuating element is engaged in the breech block and is actuable independently of the cocking mechanism. This actuating element acts on one of the two abutments between which the firing pin spring is engaged, and is operable to actuate the one abutment, while the breech is closed and the firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of the firing pin spring without firing of the gun. The actuating element is further operable, through the one abutment, to re-tension the firing pin spring.

United States Patent 1 Griimiger et a].

3,710,493 Jan. 16, 1973 54] DROPPING BREECH BLOCK ACTION FOR SPORTING GUNS [76] Inventors: Adrian Griimiger, Pany; Willy Baumann, Ebnetstrasse 40, l-lorgen, both of Switzerland [22] Filed: June 12, 1970 [211 App]. No.: 45,863

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data June 17, 1969 Switzerland ..9348/69 [52] US. Cl. ..42/23 [51] Int. Cl. ..F41c 11/04 [58] Field of Search ..42/23, 24, 14, 43, 26

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 225,423 3/1880 Sauerbrey ..42/23 239,496 3/1881 Heeren ..42/23 Primary ExaminerBenjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan Attorney-McGlew and Tuttle [57] ABSTRACT The dropping breech block action has a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block. A firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger are mounted in the breech block. An actuating element is engaged in the breech block and is actuable independently of the cocking mechanism. This actuating element acts on one of the two abutments between which the firing pin spring is engaged, and is operable to actuate the one abutment, while the breech is closed and the firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of the firing pin spring without firing of the gun. The actuating element is further operable, through the one abutment, to re-tension the firing pin spring.

10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAN 16 I975 SHEET 1 [IF 3 TOR.

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IM/ HJQ'RIHN 5%HHICE? WILL QRUHQNN e 2 HTT'GR NEWS DROPPING BREECH BLOCK ACTION FOR SPORTING GUNS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION blocks the trigger in its cocked position. In practice,

however, it is often found that such a safety device usually is not absolutely effective. It happens frequently that, when the firearm hits hard objects or becomes hooked in branches, the safety device snaps open and a shot may be fired inadvertently. This disadvantage is clearly evident especially in those sporting guns where the firing pin is cocked automatically responsive to opening or closing of the breech.

For this reason, it has already been proposed to provide a special cocking element in the trigger stirrup frame, the firing mechanism being cocked only after actuation of this cocking element and not automatically responsive to opening or closing of the breech. This has the disadvantage of a relatively great loss of time, if several shots are to be fired in quick succession. Actuating elements arranged entirely externally of the breech block, moreover, increase the cost of the firearm very considerably.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to breech blocks for sporting guns and, more particularly, to an improved breech block with which there is associated an actuating element operable, when the breech is closed and the firing pin spring tensioned, to relax the tension of the firing pin spring at least approximately completely without firing of the gun, and also operable to re-tension the firing pin spring.

The breech block arrangement of the invention, which may be a sliding, falling, or pivoting breech block, avoids the above-mentioned disadvantages of prior art arrangements. Its principal feature is that there is engaged, in the breech block, an actuating element which can be actuated independently of the cocking mechanism. This actuating element acts on one of the two abutments between which the firing spring is engaged. By virtue of its action on the one spring abutment, the actuating element is operable to relax the firing pin spring, at least approximately completely, when the breech is closed and the firing pin spring cocked, without the firing the firing of a shot. Also, the actuating element is operable, through acting on the one spring abutment, to re-tension the firing spring. Advantageously, the actuating element is mounted in the breech block itself and is designed as a pivoted lever which is actuable, for example, similarly to the trigger by a stirrup protruding from the bottom ofthe breech block.

In a breech constructed according to the invention, it is possible, with the breech closed and the firing mechanism cocked, to relax the tension ofthe firing pin spring without opening the breech, and of course, without firing a shot, to such an extent that, for example, after unintentional disengagement of a safety device, if one is provided, inadvertent actuation of the trigger cannot lead to inadvertent firing. Thus, when the actuating element has acted on the spring abutment in the sense of relaxing the firing pin spring, the at least largely relaxed firing pin spring cannot bring the firing pin into an operative position touching off a shot. On the other hand, by return of the spring abutment to its cocked position by means of the actuating element, the firing pin spring is cocked again and thus the readiness for firing is re-established. As the actuating element is independent of the normal cocking mechanism, which may become operative automatically, for example when opening or closing the breech, the possibility of rapid successive firing known in such sporting guns is preserved.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved breech block for sporting guns.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an improved breech block including an actuating element engaged in the breech block and actuable independent of the cocking mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an actuating element acting on one of the abutments between which the spring is engaged and operable to actuate this one abutment, while the breech is closed and the firing pin spring cocked, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of the firing spring pin without firing of the gun.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an actuating element which is further operable to actuate the one abutment to re'tension the firing pin spring without opening the breech and without firing of the gun.

For an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the following description of typical embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIGS. 1a, lb, 1c and 1d are side views of the exposed part of a dropping or falling breech action block embodying the invention, showing the breech block in various operating positions;

FIGS. 2a and 2b are side views of the exposed parts of a second embodiment of the invention in two different operating positions; and

FIGS. 3a and 3b are side views, partly in section, of the exposed parts of a third embodiment of the invention, in two different operating positions.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. la-ld, this embodiment illustrates a falling or dropping breech action with a breech block 2 movable in a breech block box or receiver 1 perpendicularly to the axis a of the barrel of a sporting gun, which latter has been shown only in part. In the upper part of breech block 2, there is provided a bore 3 coaxial with the bore of the barrel or, respectively, with the cartridge chamber. This bore serves to guide a firing pin 4 having a striker 4a, a guide piece 4b and a shank 4c. Striker or head 40 fits into a constricted channel 3a extending between bore 3 and the cartridge chamber, so that, for firing, its tip just barely projects into the cartridge chamber. Shank 4c is embraced by the firing pin spring 5, which is designed as a helical spring and which has one end engaging against guide piece 4b, as one abutment, and its opposite end engaging the back wall of breech block 2, as a second abutment.

The underside of guide piece 4b is formed with a V- shaped notch 4d, in which there is engaged one upwardly extending arm 6a of a three-arm ratchet lever 6. A second, rearwardly directed arm 6b of rachet lever 6, which ratchet lever is rotatably mounted in breech block 2, is provided with a cross-pin 7 with which there cooperates the cocking nose 8a of a cocking strap 8 mounted forwardly of breech block 2 in breech receiver 1 and protruding downwardly therefrom. The third, forwardly extending arm 6c of ratchet lever 6 has its free end formed with ratchet teeth 9a and 9b, lying one above the other, and with which the nose 10a of a trigger 10 mounted in breech block 2 can cooperate.

A trigger spring 11, fitted on a pin in breech block 2, has one end engaging a rearwardly extending arm 10b of trigger 10, whose stirrup 100 extends downwardly from breech box 1. The other end of trigger spring 11 engages the bottom of ratchet lever arm 6b carrying cross-pin 7. The upper surface of arm 6b serves as a sliding surface for a nose 12a of a recocking lever 12 mounted in breech block 2, recocking lever 12 having a stirrup 12b extending downwardly from breech receiver 1 behind trigger stirrup 10c. A leaf spring 13, secured to the rear wall of breech block 2, biases recocking lever 12.

The breech action shown in FIGS. la-ld operates in the following manner. Assuming the breech is closed,

the firearm loaded and the individual breech elements are in the position shown in FIG. la, recocking lever 12 is held, under the bias of spring 13, in its inoperative position indicated in broken lines. Nose 10a of trigger 10 engages in ratchet tooth 9b of ratchet lever arm 60, while ratchet lever arm 6a retains firing pin 4, and thus firing pin spring 5, in the cocked position. For firing the gun, trigger stirrup 10c is pulled rearwardly. Nose 10a then disengages from ratchet 9b, so that ratchet lever 6b is released. Under the bias of spring 5, this results in the forward bounce of firing pin 4, the shot being touched off by the tip of striker 4a projecting into the cartridge chamber through channel 30. Ratchet lever 6 has rotated accordingly counterclockwise, and the individual breech elements now occupy the position shown in FIG. lb.

After completion of reloading and cocking of the breech action by means of cocking lever 8, through its nose 8a, rotating ratchet lever 6 clockwise, with trigger nose 10a again engaging in ratchet tooth 9b under the action of trigger spring ll and thus fixing firing pin 4 in its cocked position, the breech action can be temporarily uncocked without firing and without opening of the breech. For this purpose, recocking lever 12 is pulled rearwardly until its nose 12a comes to lie on the sliding surface of ratchet lever arm 6b. The recocking lever 12 is retained in this position, indicated by the solid lines in FIG. la, and at the same time trigger 10 is pulled backward slightly so that its nose 10a disengages ratchet tooth 9b of ratchet lever 60. Now, under controlled release of ratchet lever 6, recocking lever 12 is moved forwardly into the position shown in FIG. 1c, with firing pin spring 5 relaxing until ratchet lever 6, which is thereby rotated counterclockwise, prevents a complete relaxation of spring 5, and thus prevents penetration of the tip'of firing pin 4 into the cartridge chamber, by engagement of trigger nose 10a in ratchet tooth 90. If recocking lever 12 is now released, it returns to its rest position under the action of spring 13, as shown in FIG. lb.

Trigger spring 1 l pushes trigger 10 into this engaged position. Since ratchet tooth 9a is undercut corresponding to the bevel of trigger nose 10c, trigger 10 remains secured against unintended disengagement from ratchet tooth 9a. Firing pin spring 5 then has been relaxed to the extent that, for example upon unintended release of trigger l0, and hence release of ratchet lever 6 or firing pin 4, spring 5 no longer has sufficient tension to be able to impart to firing pin 4 the impulse required for firing.

For renewed cocking of the breech action, the recocking lever .12 is pulled rearwardly. By virtue of this rearward movement, nose 12a rotates ratchet lever 6 clockwise until trigger l0, biased by trigger spring 1 1, engages, with its nose 10a, in ratchet tooth 9b of ratchet lever arm 60, firing pin 4 being, at the same time, pulled back and firing pin spring 5 tensioned, as shown in FIG. la. when recocking lever 12 is released, it returns to its rest position under the action of spring 13.

There may be provided, additionally, a locking bolt which fixes trigger 10 or ratchet lever 6 in the uncocked position shown in FIG. 10. Also, there may be provided a safety device which renders it possible to secure the breech action in its cocked position. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1d, a safety lever 14 is mounted, for this purpose, on the pivot axis of recocking lever 12. That is, it is mounted in breech block 2. Lever 14 is provided with a nose 14a intended for cooperation with a flattened portion 7a of cross-pin 7 of ratchet lever arm 6b. In the cocked position of ratchet lever 6, the flattened pin portion 7a is in such a position that safety lever 14 can be pivoted, with its nose 14a, presenting a similar flattened surface, extending over this flattened pin portion. As shown in FIG. 1d, ratchet lever 6 thereby is prevented from pivoting counterclockwise, so that relaxation of the firing pin spring is impossible. By pivoting safety lever 14 rearwardly, ratchet lever 6 can be released and thereby the breech is unlocked.

It should be noted that safety lever 14, should it be in its securing position with the breech cocked, is automatically pivoted into its inoperative position by the cocking nose 8a of cocking lever 8 upon actuation of cocking lever 8 to open the breech for unloadingrThus, in the normal cocking of the breech action, this safety device necessarily becomes inoperative. On the other hand, when recocking the breech action by means of recocking lever 12, knob 14b of lever 14 lies in the actuation path of stirrup 12b of recocking lever 12, so that the unlocking likewise can take place practically almost positively.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. la-ld, the recocking lever, ratchet lever and firing pin form three parts mounted separately in breech block 2. The advantage of this is that the elements effecting the recocking can be so dimensioned and mounted that they act as a transmission, so that the force required for cooking the relatively heavy firing pin spring remains relatively small. In addition, this design offers the advantage that the actuation of the recocking lever 12 can occur when cocking by retraction of the recocking lever, that is, in the sense of the triggering operation familiar to the rifleman in setting and setting off.

If it is desired to forego the last-named advantages, a breech action embodying the invention can be constructed in a simpler manner, as illustrated, for example, in FIGS. 2a and2b. This breech action also has a dropping breech block 42 mounted in a breech receiver 41. Cocking lever 48, provided also in this embodiment and mounted in the breech receiver, has a cocking nose 48a protruding into breech block 42 to act directly on a two-arm lever 52 mounted in the breech block. The upwardly extending lever arm 52a carries a firing pin 44. The hub portion 46 of lever 52, fitted on a shaft 55, is designed as a ratchet element with a safety ratchet tooth 49a and a cocking ratchet tooth 49b, while the lever arm 52b, extending downwardly from block 42, serves as an actuating handle. Lever parts 52a, 46 and 52b conjointly form the recocking lever. A firing pin spring 45 is fitted on shaft 55 and has one end engaging breech block 42, as a first abutment, and its other end engaging lever arm 52, as a second abutment. A trigger 50 has a trigger nose 500.

After firing, as shown in FIG. 2a, the breech is opened and, at the same time, the action is cocked by actuation of cocking lever 48. With the breech action cocked, the breech being closed again by return of cocking lever 48 into the rest position, trigger nose 50a engages in cocking ratchet tooth 49b, and thus fixes firing pin 44 in its cocked position. For temporary uncocking of the breech action without firing of the gun, recocking lever 52 is retained and trigger 50 is pulled rearwardly somewhat, so that its trigger nose 50a disengages cocking ratchet tooth 49b. Now, recocking lever 52 can be moved rearwardly a little, releasing the trigger, so that nose 50a of the trigger engages in the undercut safety ratchet 49a, of hub portion 46, under the bias of trigger spring 51. As a result, firing pin spring 45 is relaxed to a large extent and, at the same time, firing pin 44 is fixed in a position from which, even upon unintended disengagement of the trigger from the firing pin spring, it would no longer receive sufficient impulse to be able to touch off the shot.

For renewed cocking of the breech action, it is sufficient to push recocking lever 52 forwardly, whereby the rotating hub portion 46 brings safety ratchet tooth 49a out of engagement with trigger nose 50a. The pushing forward of recocking lever 52 occurs, with simultaneous tensioning of the firing pin spring, until trigger nose 50a engages in cocking ratchet tooth 49b, thereby again fixing firing pin 44 in the cocked position.

FIGS. 3a and 3b illustrate another embodiment of the invention with the breech open or, respectively, loaded but with the action uncocked. In this embodiment also there is inserted, in the breech receiver 61 of a sporting gun, a vertically movable breech block 62 which has, coaxial with the bore of the barrel of the gun, or coaxial with the cartridge chamber in the closed position of the block, an offset bore 63 in which there is guided a firing pin 64, with a striker 64a loaded by a helical spring 65. There cooperates, with that end of firing pin 64 remote from striker 64a, an upwardly extending arm 66a of a ratchet lever 66 pivotally mounted in breech block 62, while a second, forwardly extending arm 66b has its free end formed with two ratchet teeth 69a and 69b lying one above the other and with which trigger nose 70a of a trigger 70, mounted in breech block 62, can cooperate. It will be noted that firing pin spring 65 engages firing pin 64, as one abutment, and an element formed with a bore receiving striker 64a, as a second abutment.

A trigger spring 71, fitted on a pin in the breech block, engages an arm 66a of ratchet lever 66. Lever arm 66a has a safety nose 67 cooperable with a transversely displaceable safety bolt 74. One end of a link 72a is articulated at lever arm 66a, and the other end of link 72a has an oblong slot guiding a pin 720 of a recocking lever 72 having a stirrup 72b projecting downwardly from the breech block. Recocking lever 72, pivotally mounted at its upper end in breech block 62, is under the bias of a leaf spring 73.

In FIG. 3a, breech block 62 has been opened by means of cocking lever 68 and, at the same time, the breech action has been cocked. Ratchet lever 66 then is rotated clockwise to the extent that trigger nose a of trigger 70 engages in the lower ratchet tooth 69b of lever arm 66b, and thus holds ratchet lever 66 in its cocked position against the bias of trigger spring 71. Pin 720 of recocking lever 72 then lies in the zone of the inner end of the oblong slot oflink 72.

If the breech is now closed, its elements are present in an unsecured cocked position. By displacement of bolt 74, to the left as viewed in FIG. 3a, this bolt comes to lie behind nose 67 of lever armi 66a, so that ratchet lever 66 is secured against undesired uncocking. As has been mentioned before, it is often undesirable, however, to leave the closed breech with its action in a cocked, although secured, state when the gun is loaded. For this reason, the breech action can be brought into the uncocked position shown in FIG. 31; by means of recocking lever 72.

Thus, recocking lever 72 is pulled rearwardly until pin 72c lies in the outer end of the slot in link 72, whereupon trigger 70 is actuated. Ratchet lever 66, held in its cocked position by recocking lever 72 by means of link 72a, is now pivoted counterclockwise by gradual release of recocking lever 72 until nose 70a of trigger 70 engages in the upper ratchet tooth 69a of ratchet lever 66, as shown in FIG. 3b. Trigger spring 71 thereby is relaxed to a large extent so that, upon unintended actuation of trigger 70, the residual tension of spring 71 is insufficient to impart to the firing pin, through ratchet lever 62, the impulse required for firing. On the other hand, a retraction of recocking lever 72 suffices to rotate ratchet lever 66 clockwise through link 72a, while tensioning spring 71, in such a way that trigger nose 70a again engages in the lower ratchet tooth 69b so that the breech action. is cocked again and ready for firing.

Naturally, still other forms of construction of a breech action enbodying the invention are possible. In all cases, however, the actuating element, advantageously designed as a lever and acting directly or indirectly on one of the two abutments of the firing pin spring, permits uncocking the breech action, without firing and without opening the breech, to the extent that any remaining residual tension of the firing pin spring can no longer furnish an impulse sufficient to touch off a shot. Also, recocking is effected without ac tuation of the normal cocking mechanism directly by means of this actuating element sewing as a recocking member.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. In a breech action for sporting guns having a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block; the improvement comprising, in combination, a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger all mounted in said breech block; and an actuating element engaged within said breech block and actuable independently of said cocking mechanism; said firing pin spring being engaged between two abutments in said breech block; said actuating element acting on one of said abutments and being operable to actuate said one abutment, while said breech is closed and said firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of said firing pin spring without firing of the gun, and being operable to actuate said one abutment to re-tension said firing pin spring.

2. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said actuating element is a lever pivotally mounted in said breech block.

3. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 2, including a ratchet element within said breech block coupled with said firing pin and having safety ratchet teeth; said actuating element comprising a recocking lever; said trigger, when said firing pin spring is relaxed by said recocking lever, engaging with said safety ratchet teeth to hold said firing pin in the uncocked position.

4. in a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 3, in which said ratchet element and said recocking lever are formed as a single lever pivotally mounted in said breech block in the pivot plane of said trigger; the hub portion of said single lever being formed with a safety ratchet tooth and a cocking ratchet tooth for cooperation with a nose formed on said trigger; one arm of said single lever carrying said firing pin and serving as one abutment for said firing pin spring; said firing pin spring engaging said breech block as another abutment; the other arm of said single lever being designed as an actuating handle projecting downwardly from said breech block. 1

5. In a breech action for sporting guns having a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block, and including a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger mounted in the breech block, the improvement comprising, in combination, an actuating element engaged in said breech block and actuable independently of said cocking mechanism; said firing pin spring being engaged between two abutments; said actuating element acting on one of said abutments and being operable to actuate said one abutment, while said breech is closed and said firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of said firing pin spring without firing of the gun, and being operable to actuate said one abutment to re-tension said firing pin spring; said actuating element being a lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; and a ratchet element coupled with said firing pin and having safety ratchet teeth; said actuating element comprising a recocking lever; said trigger, when said firing pin spring is relaxed by said recocking lever, engaging with said safety ratchet teeth to hold said firing pin in the uncocked position; said ratchet element being a three-arm lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; said lever including a first arm cooperable with said firing pin as a driver, a second arm cooperable with a nose on said recocking lever, and a third arm having, for cooperation with a nose on said trigger, a safety ratchet tooth and a cocking ratchet tooth; said ratchet lever being capable, in the cocked position of said breech action, of occupying a first position in which said firing pin spring is tensioned and the nose of said trigger engages in said cocking ratchet tooth, and to occupy a second position, in which said firing pin spring is largely relaxed and the nose of said trigger engages in said safety ratchet tooth.

6. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which said safety ratchet tooth is undercut so that the nose of said trigger which, when said firing pin spring is largely relaxed, engages therein, is secured in such engagement.

7. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 6, in which said recocking lever is a two-arm lever pivotally mounted in the pivoting plane of said trigger in the zone of the rear abutment engaged with said firing pin spring; one arm of said recocking lever forming said nose cooperating with said second arm of said ratchet lever; the other arm of said recocking lever projecting downwardly from said block behind said trigger and being designed as an operating handle.

8. In a breech block, the improvement claimed in claim 7, including a safety lever pivoted coaxially with said recocking lever; a cross-pin on said second ratchet lever arm, having a flat portion; said safety lever having a supporting surface cooperable with said flat portion to secure said ratchet lever in the cocked position with the nose of said trigger engaged in said cocking ratchet tooth; the free end of said safety lever being designed as an operating handle extending downwardly from said breech block.

9. In a breech action for sporting guns having a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block, and including a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger mounted in the breech block, the improvement comprising, in combination, an actuating element engaged in said breech block and actuable independently of said cocking mechanism; said firing pin spring being engaged between two abutments; said actuating element acting on one of said abutments and being operable to actuate said one abutment, while said breech is closed and said firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of said firing pin spring without firing of the gun, and being operable to actuate said one abutment to re-tension said firing pin spring; said actuating element being a lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; and a ratchet element coupled with said firing pin and having safety ratchet teeth; said actuating element comprising a recocking lever; said trigger, when said firing pin spring is relaxed by said recocking lever, engaging with said safety ratchet teeth to hold said firing pin in the uncocked position; said ratchet element being a two-arm lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; one arm of said 10. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said first arm of said ratchet lever has a safety nose; and a bolt movably mounted in said breech block and adapted to be brought into engagement with said safety nose when the breech action is in cocked position. 

1. In a breech action for sporting guns having a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block; the improvement comprising, in combination, a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger all mounted in said breech block; and an actuating element engaged within said breech block and actuable independently of said cocking mechanism; said firing pin spring being engaged between two abutments in said breech block; said actuating element acting on one of said abutments and being operable to actuate said one abutment, while said breech is closed and said firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of said firing pin spring without firing of the gun, and being operable to actuate said one abutment to re-tension said firing pin spring.
 2. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 1, in which said actuating element is a lever pivotally mounted in said breech block.
 3. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 2, including a ratchet element within said breech block coupled with said firing pin and having safety ratchet teeth; said actuating element comprising a recocking lever; said trigger, when said firing pin spring is relaxed by said recocking lever, engaging with said safety ratchet teeth to hold said firing pin in the uncocked position.
 4. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 3, in which said ratchet element and said recocking lever are formed as a single lever pivotally mounted in said breech block in the pivot plane of said trigGer; the hub portion of said single lever being formed with a safety ratchet tooth and a cocking ratchet tooth for cooperation with a nose formed on said trigger; one arm of said single lever carrying said firing pin and serving as one abutment for said firing pin spring; said firing pin spring engaging said breech block as another abutment; the other arm of said single lever being designed as an actuating handle projecting downwardly from said breech block.
 5. In a breech action for sporting guns having a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block, and including a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger mounted in the breech block, the improvement comprising, in combination, an actuating element engaged in said breech block and actuable independently of said cocking mechanism; said firing pin spring being engaged between two abutments; said actuating element acting on one of said abutments and being operable to actuate said one abutment, while said breech is closed and said firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of said firing pin spring without firing of the gun, and being operable to actuate said one abutment to re-tension said firing pin spring; said actuating element being a lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; and a ratchet element coupled with said firing pin and having safety ratchet teeth; said actuating element comprising a recocking lever; said trigger, when said firing pin spring is relaxed by said recocking lever, engaging with said safety ratchet teeth to hold said firing pin in the uncocked position; said ratchet element being a three-arm lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; said lever including a first arm cooperable with said firing pin as a driver, a second arm cooperable with a nose on said recocking lever, and a third arm having, for cooperation with a nose on said trigger, a safety ratchet tooth and a cocking ratchet tooth; said ratchet lever being capable, in the cocked position of said breech action, of occupying a first position in which said firing pin spring is tensioned and the nose of said trigger engages in said cocking ratchet tooth, and to occupy a second position, in which said firing pin spring is largely relaxed and the nose of said trigger engages in said safety ratchet tooth.
 6. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 5, in which said safety ratchet tooth is undercut so that the nose of said trigger which, when said firing pin spring is largely relaxed, engages therein, is secured in such engagement.
 7. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 6, in which said recocking lever is a two-arm lever pivotally mounted in the pivoting plane of said trigger in the zone of the rear abutment engaged with said firing pin spring; one arm of said recocking lever forming said nose cooperating with said second arm of said ratchet lever; the other arm of said recocking lever projecting downwardly from said block behind said trigger and being designed as an operating handle.
 8. In a breech block, the improvement claimed in claim 7, including a safety lever pivoted coaxially with said recocking lever; a cross-pin on said second ratchet lever arm, having a flat portion; said safety lever having a supporting surface cooperable with said flat portion to secure said ratchet lever in the cocked position with the nose of said trigger engaged in said cocking ratchet tooth; the free end of said safety lever being designed as an operating handle extending downwardly from said breech block.
 9. In a breech action for sporting guns having a cocking mechanism and a movable breech block, and including a firing pin, a firing pin spring and a trigger mounted in the breech block, the improvement comprising, in combination, an actuating element engaged in said breech block and actuable independently of said cocking mechanism; said firing pin spring being engaged between two abutments; said actuating element acting on one of said abutments and being operable to Actuate said one abutment, while said breech is closed and said firing pin spring is tensioned, to relax, at least approximately completely, the tension of said firing pin spring without firing of the gun, and being operable to actuate said one abutment to re-tension said firing pin spring; said actuating element being a lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; and a ratchet element coupled with said firing pin and having safety ratchet teeth; said actuating element comprising a recocking lever; said trigger, when said firing pin spring is relaxed by said recocking lever, engaging with said safety ratchet teeth to hold said firing pin in the uncocked position; said ratchet element being a two-arm lever pivotally mounted in said breech block; one arm of said two-arm lever being cooperable with said firing pin; a link connecting said one arm with said recocking lever through a pin and slot connection; the other arm of said two-arm lever having a safety ratchet tooth and a cocking ratchet tooth; said trigger having a nose engaging said cocking ratchet tooth in the cocked position of the breech action.
 10. In a breech action, the improvement claimed in claim 9, in which said first arm of said ratchet lever has a safety nose; and a bolt movably mounted in said breech block and adapted to be brought into engagement with said safety nose when the breech action is in cocked position. 